The PERFECT VALENTINE'S DAY GIFT for your long-suffering wife or prospective bride Or for any fool of a husband or seriously deluded groom-to-be who hasn't yet understood what he's signed up for Tina is getting married It is the best day of her life Next year she will claim that becoming a mother was the best day of her life but only because she was on some very strong drugs Neither is true The best day of her life was on her eighth birthday when she got a yellow bike The wife likes surprises Her favourite sort is a surprise birthday party It is the husband's job to organise this surprise for her & to keep her informed of every detail about it This delightful book is the latest in the series of Ladybird books which have been specially planned to help grown-ups with the world about them The large clear script the careful choice of words the frequent repetition & the thoughtful matching of text with pictures all enable grown-ups to think they have taught themselves to cope Featuring original Ladybird artwork alongside brilliantly funny brand new text ' Hilarious' Stylist ...

In his groundbreaking new book Daniel Everett seeks answers to questions that have perplexed thinkers from Plato to Chomsky when & how did language begin? What is it? & what is it for? Daniel Everett confounds the conventional wisdom that language originated with Homo sapiens 150000 years ago & that we have a 'language instinct' Drawing on evidence from a wide range of fields including linguistics archaeology biology anthropology & neuroscience he shows that our ancient ancestors Homo erectus had the biological & mental equipment for speech one & half million years ago & that their cultural & technological achievements (including building ocean-going boats) make it overwhelmingly likely they spoke some kind of language How Language Began sheds new light on language & culture & what it means to be human & as always Daniel Everett spices his account with incident & anecdote His book is convincing arresting & entertaining ...

In this fascinating survey of everything from how sounds become speech to how names work David Crystal answers every question you might ever have had about the nuts & bolts of language in his usual highly illuminating way Along the way we find out about eyebrow flashes whistling languages how parents teach their children to speak how politeness travels across languages & how the way we talk show not just how old we are but where we're from & even who we want to be ...

A new & exciting introduction to linguistics this textbook presents language in all its amazing complexity while guiding students gently through the basics Students emerge with an appreciation of the diversity of the world's languages as well as a deeper understanding of the structure of human language the ways it is used & its broader social & cultural context Chapters introducing the nuts & bolts of language study (phonology syntax meaning) are combined with those on the 'functions' of language (discourse prosody pragmatics & language contact) helping students gain a better grasp of how language works in the real world A rich set of language 'profiles' help students explore the world's linguistic diversity identify similarities & differences between languages & encourages them to apply concepts from earlier chapter material A range of carefully designed pedagogical features encourage student engagement adopting a step-by-step approach & using study questions & case studies ...

Sammy's had a bad week
- his wallet's gone along with his new shoes he's been arrested then beaten up by the police & thrown out
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A Sunday Times bestseller How long is 'now'? The short answer is 'somewhere between 2 & 3 seconds' The long answer involves an incredible journey through neuroscience our subconscious & the time-bending power of meditation Living in the present may never feel the same Ready for some more? Okay Why isn't Pluto a planet? Why are dogs' noses wet? Why do hens cluck more loudly after laying an egg? What happens when one black hole swallows another? Do our fingerprints change as we get older? How young can you die of old age? & what is at the very edge of the Universe? Life is full of mind-bending questions & as books like What If? & Why Don't Penguins' Feet Freeze? have shown the route to find each answer can take us on the weirdest & most wonderful journeys How Long is Now? is a fascinating new collection of questions you never thought to ask along with answers that will change the way you see everything ...

Winner of The Royal Society Young People's Book Prize 2016 David Macaulay's How Machines Work uses pop-ups & award-winning illustrations to demonstrate the technology of six simple machines Follow the mad antics of Sloth & his side-kick Sengi as they try to break out of the zoo with the help of levers pulleys screws inclined planes wedges & wheels Brought to life through pop-ups & pull-outs meaning you can explore six simple machines from bicycles & cranes to hammers & drills through interactive science Packed with engaging hands-on activities David Macaulay's How Machines Work will gear kids up for scientific & engineering greatness! ...

From the award winning creators of Oi Frog! comes an hilarious counting picture book about our four-legged
- & two-legged & eight-legged
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& How many quacks till Christmas?&the ducklings want to know & How many quacks till Christmas?&and & Quack will there be snow?& Puppy is pouncing round the farmyard one evening when he is assailed by various animals wanting to know how many quacks moos baas or neighs there are until Christmas Luckily the answer is
- only one! With lashings of Christmas joy & much fun to be had with animal noises this is the perfect funny Christmas gift By a super-commercial author & illustrator pairing with combined sales of over 230000 copies in the UK alone
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'A WITTY BOOK THAT PROVOKES THE IMAGINATION' The Times How many socks make a pair? The answer is not always two & behind this question lies a world of maths that can be surprising amusing & even beautiful Using playing cards a newspaper the back of an envelope a Sudoku some pennies & of course a pair of socks Rob Eastaway shows how maths can demonstrate its secret beauties in even the most mundane of everyday objects If you already like maths you'll discover plenty of new surprises & if you've never picked up a maths book in your life this one will change your view of the subject forever ...